Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2001 00:23:20 -0400 From: Sid Gittler Subject: Arkansas Vacation 13: Please add to series The events in this chapter take place in November 2000 but I wrote it September 2001 starting before and ending after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It is a story that links story-past to story-present and ends in hope for one of the boys of Peckertown. It is in that spirit of hope that I dedicate this story to the boys and girls of America who lost a parent, relative or have a friend who lost somebody in the tragic, senseless acts. Also to the boys and girls feeling another sense of loss...that of the innocence and security that childhood is supposed to hold. Love, Sid G. This story is a work of fiction. It contains man-teen male sex. You know the rest of the drill. And while this is chapter 13 it is really the 28th episode in the Peckertown Adventures. There are more to come. Or is that more to cum? All comments to sidg@compuserve.com Arkansas Vacation 13: 1967 The Summer of Love By Sid G. (c) 2001 I hung up the phone and walked into our bedroom. Lion was stretched out face down naked on the bed. I admired his still tight ass and my cock sprung to attention so fast I almost forgot what I wanted to tell my young lover. "Just got off the phone with Big Sol sexy," I said. "What did Peckertown's ice cream king have to say Marc?" Lion said. "He's hired Samurai Inc. to find John and Carlos and bring them here." "The Usenet boy kings? That'll be great for business. Get the publicity out and they could make a fortune sitting fully clothed just signing autographs for their fans." "We'll see, Shiro's casting his net out looking for leads," I dropped my shorts and lay down naked next to Lion and began stroking his back. Getting closer and closer to his ass each time. "Before you get too hot and bothered I want to show you this mpeg file Sindra just sent over on ICQ," Lion said. "Cool, how is that sweet piece of Norwegian boy ass?" "Fine, says he and Ash can't wait to get over here and meet us. Now this film isn't long but it's old. I'm glad somebody saved these old 8mm films and is taking the time to convert them to digital files." "Wish we knew who, invite him down and throw him a party." "He's probably living in the state by now. Where else would he be safe?" "True," I said as my hand reached the center of his crack. "Horny old man, let me start the movie." He clicked the arrow and the old grainy image appeared on the screen. "Lover Boy 12" was the title followed by two young boys with long messy black hairs tied by headbands began stripping. The younger one was a lot faster but both of their smooth hairless chests were enticing. Then the second title came on: "Ray and Gerry" which was quickly replaced by a shot of the two boys frenching. The camera stayed in close to their faces and I felt a tickle in the back of my mind that I couldn't ignore. Nor could I place it. Then I noticed a beauty mark just over the younger one's left lip. They separated and the older began to suck the younger one's prepubescent cock. I got a good look at the suckee's face and pieces started to fall into place fast. "Holy shit, I don't believe it," I said. "They're good and sexy but nothing unusual," Lion said. The older boy got on top of the younger and pulled his legs up and when I spotted the ring on his left hand I knew for sure. "I know these kids, grew up with them." Daniel stopped the video just as a finger disappeared into the younger boy's hole. "You're kidding me? Prove it." "The older one is Ray Perry and the other is his younger brother Gerry. They lived two houses down the block and across the street. They were wild kids and their parents went along with just about everything. Ray told me he was screwing his brother but I didn't believe him till he showed me. That was the first time I smoked pot too. "You did drugs?" "Hey, this was the 60s man. I was sixteen, Ray was still fifteen and Gerry eleven but we were hippies. My hair was even longer than theirs but a lot straighter. This must have been done the summer of 1967 when they hitched out to San Francisco for the summer of love." "At eleven and fifteen their parents let them hitchhike on their own from New Jersey to San Francisco? I thought my parent's cut us a lot of slack but never that." "It was a different time and country then. You didn't worry that the guy behind the wheel was going to rape and kill you. You stuck your thumb out and sooner or later somebody would pick you up and take you closer to your goal. And two little kids, I think it took them three truckers to get cross country." "And had to spread their cheeks for all of them," Lion said. I shrugged, "never asked. Besides I don't think it would have bothered them anyway. Now hit the play button." He did and we spent the next five minutes watching them suck and fuck. When it was over my love turned off the laptop and I turned onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Lion shut the laptop off and put it on the floor, or at least I guessed he did, before snuggling up next to me. His hand draped over my chest. "Remembering your friends?" "Yeah, they had such wonderful stories when they got home right before school started. Also needed treatment for syphilis and gonorrhea and were the first two I knew who had to go to rehab." "Not surprising now, but back then?" "Turned out they're parents were pushing drugs and using them as dealers in the school. Boys to rehab instead of jail like their parents." "What happened after they got out?" "Went to live with an Aunt and Uncle the other side of town. Didn't see them much though." "What kind of stories?" Lion asked after a while. "They told me about a movie shoot but I doubt it's this one, definitely not this episode. Ray said he and Gerry were making out on the living room rug, one of these thick shag rugs with lava lamps and black light pictures along the wall." "Groovy man, right on." "Total trip dude. Suddenly nine more naked boys came in all bigger than both of them and start shoving cocks in mouths and asses. For the next ninety minutes it was non-stop sucking and fucking with the brothers both usually getting it at both ends. "I remember stroking and shuddering at the same time. Sounded so hot and so awful at the same time. Finally at the end of the movie Ray and Gerry were tied into a 69 and go at it until cum poured out of each other's mouth. Then the nine boys shot one last load over their bound bodies and walked out leaving them tied up as the movie ended." "Holy shit, they get paid for that?" "After the entire crew finished fucking them while they were still tied together. Think they split about $200, which was a lot of money then and there." "Anything else?" I thought for a second, "Yeah, but this feels almost like exploiting them again." "We pay the rent by doing that if you want to look at it that way." "I don't want to. Besides you kids are so much different, more mature in so many ways than we were. Boys coming here know what they're getting into I don't think Ray and especially Gerry ever did. For them it was fun and games." "Sex, drugs and rock and roll," Lion said. I fell silent, wondering, remembering all those friends who've gone out of my life. But then my best friend brought me back to the present when his lips encircled my cock. "Oh yes, that's better lover. Be my Lion tonight." A roar that sounded more like a whimper came from deep in his throat, around my cock and into my pubic hair. Slowly he moved up and down on my hardening cock. Each motion drained negative vibes out of me. But not the positive memories of the times I spent with my first two sex partners. Yes, Ray and Gerry were the first ones I had gay sex with. It was raw, passionate and a hell of a lot of fun. Even after the San Francisco trip and time in rehab Gerry had a tight ass that was great to fuck. The three ways were dynamite. A nip on my cockhead brought me back to the present. I gently stroked my lover's hair as I pushed his mouth back down and gave myself into the sensations. He might be rapidly approaching his sixteenth birthday but he gives better head than some guys I've known who were doing it before he was born. Almost all. He kept his mouth still and worked his tongue all over my cock. Even licked my slit and cleaned off the precum, for a second at least. Nose embedded in my pubes his tongue reached out and licked my balls and started them churning. I was out of my mind with lust, on the verge of shooting my load...and he pulled off. "Lion!" He shut me up with his mouth on mine for a good long hot kiss that kept me close but slowly eased me from the brink. Finally he broke the kiss and swallowed my hard prick again. He slowly moved up and down and the precum start flowing again, the balls started throbbing again. I grabbed for his head, held it in place and filled his throat with my love seed. Five large shots followed by several smaller ones and he didn't lose a drop, never does. Spent I pulled him up and nestled his head on my chest. For the next few minutes we rested quietly while we caught our breaths. "I want my Lion in me, I want my love inside of me," I whispered into his mane. "Say it again." "I want my Lion in me, I want my love inside of me," I said and pulled his mouth to me. Our tongues danced and I could taste my cum still inside his mouth and gathered it up with my tongue. I pushed down and ran the tip of my tongue down his hairless torso and swallowed his rising rod and coated it with the cum. "Oh shit Marc, its time, roll over onto your back so I can look into your face as I fuck you," Lion said. When his voice is like that I don't argue. Took me seconds to pull off, roll over on my back and pull my legs over my head. As he knelt between my legs Lion shoved his long black hair behind his head and shook it loose. "Every time is so special my love." "More special than the time before, though that's barely possible any more. Now fill me with your love." And he did, slowly and smoothly. With lust and love his manhood filled my insides. All too soon his groin met my butt. "Oh yes, oh fuck," was all I could say. And that's what he started to do with slow easy strokes that relaxed my insides and got them nice and moist as I worked my rectal muscles around his growing, hardening cock. Slowly, oh so maddingly slowly he picked up the pace, thrusting deeper and harder into my soul. Rubbing my prostate so my cock rose to attention though left unattended. Using flexibility I lost long ago my fifteen-year-old lover bent down and took my cockhead in his mouth as he continued fucking me. The sensations drove me wild as I tried to thrust my cock further into his mouth at the same time I was pushing it back to meet his thrusts. My leg muscles tightened up and ached and I didn't care and he didn't stop. My arms strained to hold my legs up and the reactions were the same. Finally he rose to his full height, threw his head back and roared as he filled my ass with so much cum that it sent me into my second orgasm of the evening. Pulse after pulse of his seed swept into me as he continued pounding and roaring. Finished he collapsed on top of me and forced my stiff limbs to the bed as his limp cock popped out followed by his cum. We ignored the mess and rolled over onto our pillows and fell asleep. Sun was streaming in through the window when a monster jumping onto my bed woke me. "What the fuck?" "Get up sleepy head, you're not going to believe this." "That you're still alive?" I said as I flung a pillow in his general direction. "Look who has reservations for the weekend starting tomorrow," Daniel said. He's always more Daniel than Lion in the morning. "Aaron and/or Haley paying a visit?" I said as I pushed myself up and blinked my eyes. "Look," he threw the paper on my lap. I picked it up out of the dried cum. I pushed myself up and looked at a copy of an In-Boy-Inn reservation form. It was for adjoining rooms for, it couldn't be. I blinked and looked up. "This isn't funny if it's a joke." "No joke, Ray and Gerry Perry from Longston, NJ will be arriving here approximately six o'clock tomorrow afternoon for what I presume is a weekend of boy sex. To top it off they've stayed with us four other times over the last year and a half." "I guess you've figured they were my first boyfriends, sex partners." "Duh." I held my hand out and he took it and sat next to me. "You want to see them," Daniel said a few minutes later. "I've been thinking about that. Last time we were together wasn't too pleasant. Fought actually." "About what?" "Rehab worked just enough to get them free and learn how to control how much and when they used. They didn't sell again but every time I went over to their place they were stoned to one degree or another and they only hung out with other druggies." "Except for you?" "I'd share a joint there if it was being passed around but I really wasn't a user. By this time it was June1969 and the two of us were getting ready to graduate high school. Just weeks before the Stonewall riots but I'd read stories of raids in the New York papers. I started talking about wondering what it was like going to be gay in college. Ray goes, 'hell we ain't faggots, just boys having fun together.' I lost it, crying I jumped on him arms swinging." "It's ok, I understand," Daniel said and hugged me as tears flew after thirty-one years. "Our last day in school I found a note on my locker from Ray apologizing and asking to see me again. I ripped it up and never called or took his calls." Daniel reached over and picked up the cordless phone and hit the speed-dial and waited for a few seconds. "Kevin its Daniel. You've got two repeat customers coming in tomorrow night, the Perry brothers," he paused as Kevin said something. "No, nothing wrong with the reservation. What I want you to do is make comp dinner reservations in the restaurant for eight tomorrow for the private booth in the corner. Marc and I will be joining them but they don't know it and I want to keep it that way." Another pause. "Tell them its because they're good repeat customers. Talk to you later." "I didn't say," I started to say but Daniel's mouth interrupted me. "You're going to be a wreck if you don't take the opportunity to see them and square things. Despite our love I know what my first boyfriend meant to me and the warm feeling when I see him at the club." I lay back on the bed, closed my eyes and tried to clear my head. "And what do you want to do for my sweet sixteen birthday?" "Shit, is it that time of year already?" I said. "Weekend party at the lake and we stay the rest of the time." "Just family?" I said. A glance showed that he wasn't totally thrilled. "You have something else in mind or did I leave somebody out?" "I was thinking we could invite Cody, Justin, Keith, the Trips, Zeus, Tad, Mike and Mark as well. All of us have become so close and everybody's been working so hard that a long weekend away would suit everybody. And after last year I can't imagine not having them there," Daniel said. "Cool." "Mean it?" "It's your birthday so we invite who you want. Just don't want to know what the final sleeping arrangements end up being." "Everybody in our bed?" "Not a chance lover," I said and grabbed him. It was a while before we got out of bed. Fortunately I had supervisory meetings the rest of that day so my old friends pending arrival didn't over occupy my mind. I've said it before and I'll repeat it here, one of the things Elijah and I find most amazing is how smoothly everything is running all over town when most of the employees should be in middle or high school worrying about the next test. Cody and Justin for example. Their restaurant in the Jorgenson Inn is the biggest grosser in town even though it's a no sex zone and the help is fully dressed. Zeus and I keep on eye on things and we set them up with our CPA to keep the books in order but they supervise everything themselves. If you haven't read the Pizza Boy chapter you should. But Wayne and Dan bought the owner of Marvin's Pizza out and Wayne at thirteen runs it and has improved the quality immensely. It's amazing what Dan's love and support did to his self-confidence. We had a Chamber of Commerce meeting last month and three-quarters of the new members were under sixteen. And they don't accept whores as members. Speaking of which they learned from the problems earlier in the year and they've organized themselves so that if a boy hasn't checked in at least by phone every forty-eight hours an alert goes out. Saved two boys who were about to be shipped out to white slavers. Benjy's twelve now and he and Roger have set up their own apartment over the garage behind the Jorgenson's house. Aaron and his girl are getting serious but haven't talked about marriage yet. All in all everybody's as fine as possible in this unusual town we call home. Six, six-thirty, seven, seven-thirty the next night all found me showered and naked in my walk-in closet trying to decide what to wear to supper. I had one tie-dyed tee shirt but I didn't think it would work, besides my hair's a bit shorter than then. All there mind you, no balding in my family. Daniel walked in, slapped my cheeks and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. He handed me a pair of underpants, long sleeve shirt and slacks and told me I had two minutes to get them on or he was taking me naked. We walked out of the room 110 seconds later and I let him drive to the Inn. When we got there I sent him in ahead to see if they were at the table. Ten minutes later he came back out shaking his head. "No show?" "No such luck. They just got seated and you'd recognize them right off the bat. Hair's still long and bushy, Ray still has that ring and Gerry the birthmarks over his lip. Come on." I got out of the car and followed him in. Kevin was at the restaurant's door and whispered that the guests were surprised but pleased. They'd already ordered one of our best wines. Daniel took my hand and we walked in. We waved to some other regular customers till we got to the corner. He was right, I recognized them instantly and figured I just never saw them their earlier trips. "Hi Ray, Gerry," I said when they looked up. "How do you...holy shit is that you Marc?" Ray said. I nodded and he was in my arms. Gerry followed a second later. "You set this up?" Gerry said a minute later. "No, the credit goes to my partner here. Ray, Gerry, this is Daniel Jorgenson, my lover, partner, life." We sat before we continued. "How'd you know?" Ray asked Daniel. Daniel looked at me, I nodded and he proceeded to tell about getting the film, us watching it together and me recognizing them. Then while checking the new reservation files finding their names and deciding that a reunion was in order. "Ray, Gerry, I'm sorry. I should have accepted that apology back then. I was just," I shut up and waved my hands. "We were kids," Ray shook his head, "I said something cruel while I was high and still denying that I was gay. That all the sex the three of us had, the movies Gerry and I made, the whoring were just boys being boys. Didn't mean anything, I could fuck girls whenever I wanted to. It took losing you to realize I didn't want that." "There was a bright side to it though. Nothing we'd done or gone through before showed us what damage drugs were doing to us. One toke too many and we lost our best friend, probably our only real friend. That night we flushed every ounce of drugs down the toilet. After school was out we checked ourselves back into rehab for the summer. That time it worked," Gerry said. "No drugs of any kind since then?" I asked. "I didn't even want drugs when I had my knee surgery. We only have some wine on special occasions. And this sure has turned into a very special dinner," Ray said. I leaned over and hugged Ray and felt Gerry's arm come over the top. I couldn't tell whose tears I was feeling but knew some of them were mine. If we were any other party of four I'm sure the staff would have kicked us out. Instead Daniel had the staff leave a tub of ice filled with sodas and kicked them out. The half-full wine bottle had been taken away long ago. The two druggies were now guidance counselors in the Longston schools along with running various drug awareness and gay education programs throughout the area. Both gay and living together, and well, still screwing the shit out of each other. "Nobody else? Then why is this your fifth trip here?" Daniel asked. "When we were kids we found plenty of men who got off on having sex with us. I guess somewhere along the line the tables turned. It took us a while to get the courage up to come down here. We don't get any hassle for being gay, but hell we are teachers," Gerry said. "I guess you're comfortable now. What's your favorite part?" "The openness, can you imagine us being this free at home back then?" "Neither can most of these boys. That's why they're here. All to often these kids have been kicked out because they're gay, run before they were kicked and/or run from an abusive relationship," I said. "There are some who want to be here though," Gerry said. "Some came here freely, a hell of a lot more will tell you that and most have no desire to leave. This is their home and if they have to whore to make a living its better than the alternative for most." "My favorite places here," Ray said, "the Tasty Buns and the Little Leather Club. Man that Benjy is hotter than hot. Say Daniel, with your connections do you think you could hook us up?" "I could introduce you but the one thing neither one of us does is get into procuring. In fact the only family member who does anything like that is my younger brother," Daniel said. I leaned back and laughed which got quizzical looks from my old friends. "And I take it Benjy's that younger brother," Ray said finally. "Yep, and if I even mentioned the idea I'd be on the receiving end of that whip and then his boyfriend would be on me," Daniel said. "We'll still take that introduction," Gerry said shaking his head. "No problem, meet you there tomorrow for the lunch show and we'll go from there," I said. "There is one other reason this trip down besides sex and fun in the Arkansas sun. We're here looking for a boy." "A lover to take home? I wouldn't recommend it," I said. "No, we're looking for him for his father," Ray said. "Tell us about it, but no promises we'll help you even if we can," I said. "Understood, and we're here to find him, talk to him and if he's willing to his father will fly down to talk to him in front of us or whomever the boy wants. We may have only been here a total of two weeks or so but we know these are good kids. In this case the father doesn't even deny the boy's reasons for running were good. But I know the guy and he's changed, sobered up, and most importantly he kicked his wife out and really wants to put his life back together." "If he wants his son to be a part of it why didn't he come?" "Said it wouldn't be fair to Frank. No that's not quite the way he put it. You remember Ger?" "He said, 'I drove him away once and I don't want to drive him away from his new home. All I want is a chance to talk, try and establish a link.'" My lover and I leaned back in our seats and looked at each other. We knew what the other was thinking. Parents coming to look for their son, like Chris Scott's did, are extremely rare. The ones with happy results are rarer still. A couple parents joined Cody and Keith's in jail when they stepped over the line, again. Thirty odd years ago the two men sitting across from us had been my best friends, lovers. Could I trust them in 2000? "Do you want to talk about it now or after the show?" Ray took two pictures out of his coat pocket and passed one to each of us. Recognition was instant but I hoped I kept my face as even as Daniel did. "Look familiar?" "A bit dear, have to search the memory banks later," Daniel said. "I have a feeling that it will be a very short search, but we won't press you on it." "Thanks Ray, tell me what you can," I said. "The boy's name is Francis Xavier Corrigan the third, his father is the second. Father and son lived with the boy's mother and younger brother in Rockaway, NJ. That's about fifteen miles west of Longston where the three of us grew up Daniel." "OK, we may have gone by it in our trip up there last May," Daniel said. Gerry nodded and continued. "Mr. Corrigan owned a milling company there and was a workaholic and when things went bad he added alcoholic to that. Mrs. Corrigan had joined that club years earlier, and was a violent drunk. Frank stood between his mother and Sam, taking the brunt of the abuse while Sam hid in their room. "As things got worse at home Trio, as they called him, was going through puberty, realizing he was gay, and less able to handle the tension at home. He was thirteen and Sam was nine. Sam's still nine, stepped in front of a car and was killed instantly. "Jesus H Christ," I whispered. "A week after the funeral Frank left home. It took his parents a week to notify the cops, and admitted that between their grief and drinking they hadn't noticed," Ray said. I looked at Daniel who nodded. "Anyway, business got worse and the cash flow became tenuous as Frank Jr. put it. Their biggest customers were several divisions of Sorrel Enterprises." "Sorrel squeezed him out?" Daniel said. "Just the opposite really, they were paying in seven days when they had thirty but it was just enough to keep the company going. Finally they bought the company. They told Mr. Corrigan that he could keep running the business if he went into rehab for at least six months and joined AA afterwards." "Cool," Daniel said. "Very, and AA is how we met him." "What about the wife?" I said. "Sorrel was willing to pay for her too, she refused. He went anyway and while there realized what happened to both his sons. When he came out he gave his wife an ultimatum. Rehab or the marriage is over. She threw five empty scotch bottles at him and when she went for a full one he walked out." "Good for him. But what makes him think his son is here?" "When we speak at AA meetings we're open about our homosexuality and our past. How it contributed to our drug use and how our drug use led us to dangerous activities, like those movies," Gerry said. "He'd seen the articles and sought us out, would we be willing to come down here and look for him. The rest you know." "Ray, Gerry, do us a favor," Daniel said. "What?" Ray said. "Do nothing about this until we meet at the club tomorrow, and be prepared to wait even longer." "We've got to be on a Sunday night plane and be back at school on Monday." I glanced at my watch, "it's not quite Friday, we've got plenty of time, or you can forget about looking altogether." "You mean we could look every second till we have to leave and we'd never see him or anybody who'd recognize him," Ray said. "We've done it before if that's the way the boy wants it. Once they get here and settle in these young men's parents have no rights, no ownership. Got two boys on the town council, almost every new business in town is owned by a boy or a boy and his adult partner," Daniel said. "Well, then I guess its time to call it a night. Ray and I'll take a walk down to the square and pick up a couple of nightcaps and see you at the club for the matinee. Daniel and I got in our car and sat. Trying to put the night's events in perspective. "I know where they are," Daniel said. "Ok, but I was thinking of calling Mr. Scott first and checking Corrigan out first. Don't know if they're in the same chain of command but Scott's got to be higher up." "You're right," Daniel fell silent, "You know what really amazes me after hearing this?" "That Frank was able to put up with Scott's drinking problem and all. Amazing isn't it, but I think that helps explain why he went to the clinic with him and get the partner counseling and all. Where are they?" "Going on a double date with Zeus and the twins to the Big Lick to catch the Trips show." "Why don't we stop by, say hello and see if we can find what they're doing tomorrow. I know the twins were talking about shutting down for the winter but don't know if they did or not." Daniel started the car as I tightened the seatbelt. He stuck his tongue out at me and I pointed out the front window. The next morning I placed a call to the headquarters of Sorrel Enterprises and quickly had Chris and Dashby Scott's father on the line. "I'm glad you could take my call this quickly," I said. "No problem, I told you and Mr. Jorgenson if there was ever anything I or the company could do just call." "Do you know a Francis Xavier Corrigan Jr.? Supposed to run a milling company somewhere up in Rockaway that's part of the conglomerate." "Don't know him but it rings a bell, let me check the computer, ok. Ok, yeah you've got the right man. What do the Lords of Peckertown want with him?" "Remember Scott Davis and his partner Frank?" "How can I ever forget those two?" "Frank is Francis Xavier Corrigan the third and Jr. hired two old school friends of mine to come down and look for him. Daniel and I had dinner with them and they told me about the job and when I saw the picture it took about a half-second to put them together." "So what's the problem? From what I can see he's been a good boss." I spent the next ten minutes filling him in on what we'd been told. When I was finished I was greeted by silence. "I know his boss, his office is just down the hall. Let me get five minutes with him and check this out." "Thanks a lot, and please make sure this doesn't get back to Mr. Corrigan. I haven't told Frank about this yet and I don't want father running down here yet, or son running." "Just stay by the phone." It was an hour before the phone rang back. "Clean bill, what our Frank didn't tell your friends is his contract calls for periodic and random drug and alcohol screenings plus regular counseling. He's passed every test and requirement. From what I heard from his supervisor and the VP of Human Resources it sounds like you should give them a chance. But that's up to the boy." "Thanks a lot, give our love to the boys." "Will do, let me know if we can help some more." I got my love from his office and drove down to Mark and Mike's Water Park. Some of it was closed but the regular pool was heated so it was still open. The boy at the gate waved us through and told us Scott and Frank were in the office. "Oh shit, what's wrong now?" Scott said when we walked in. "And hello to you too," I said. "Isn't it possible we might have good news for you?" Daniel said. "Try us," Frank said. "Too make a long story short Daniel and I had supper with a couple of my school friends from Longston. They're openly gay teachers there now who also work with various counseling groups. At an AA meeting they met a guy who hired them to come down here and look for his son." "It worked for Chris Scott, hopefully it'll work for this kid," Frank said. "Glad to hear that Frank, its your father." "No way, no fucking way am I going back with that bastard to that bitch of a mother of mine," Frank said. "Easy love, I think there's more," Scott said and took Frank's hand. "To begin with he walked out on her. Actually first he sold the business to Sorrel Enterprises, where Chris' father works. They made him go into rehab in order to keep his job and when he came finished he told your mother..." "Not my mother." "He told her your turn or good-bye. She heaved a bottle at him and he walked out. I talked to Mr. Scott today and he talked with people who work with your father and they all say he's sober, got his head together. Has you and your brother's pictures on his desk." "Both?" I nodded. "Oh shit, oh fucking shit. I've tried to put them and Sam out of my mind, especially Sam. Oh hell..." Frank wrapped his arms around Scott and bawled. "Who the hell is Sam?" Scott said. "Frank's younger brother. Walked into the street and a car killed him by accident. Frank came here a week after the funeral." "It wasn't an accident," Frank said between sobs. "He left a note and begged me to destroy it and not tell anybody. He couldn't take it anymore, especially what they were doing to me when I tried to protect him. Sam knew exactly when that bus came down the street every day and ran in front at the last second. My baby brother killed himself because of me. Said he was setting me free to leave and come down here. I'd seen the early stories about Peckertown and told him about it. And he killed himself for me!" Frank dissolved into tears again and Daniel and I just watched Scott comfort him as Frank had comforted him while Scott's uncle laid siege to our hometown. I felt a hand inserting itself into mine and held it tight. I didn't regret this conversation. First Frank deserved to know his father was looking for him. But also it was clear how much he'd been holding in all these years. Feeling responsible for your brother's suicide. How does a boy cope with that? Daniel moved and put his arm around Frank from the other side and I put mine around Scott and kissed his cheek. "He's hidden all this from me. How did he put up with my alcoholism?" "One word, four letters." "Love," Scott whispered. I nodded and Scott began to weep. They cried in each other's arms as we held them tight. Tears running down both our cheeks as well. "Is my father here?" Frank asked eventually. "No, just my two friends he hired. They want to talk to you first, explore feelings, options. If you want Daniel and I will stay, or I can get Zeus here," I said. "You two, and I tell you right now I'm not going back. My home and life is here," Frank said. "I'd go back with you if that makes a difference," Scott said. Frank kissed his lover's cheek then shook his head. "It's not like Chris or even Dashby. I've been here too long to move back. I love the life we can live here and we couldn't do that back in Jersey no matter how open it is. This is our home my love." "When do you want to meet these guys?" Daniel said. "We've got to do a walk-around and then we'll grab hot dogs and sodas for all of us. Can you have them here in an hour?" Scott said. "Not giving me a chance to chicken are you?" Frank said and rubbed noses with Scott. "No problem," I said and picked up my cell and pushed a couple of numbers. "Kenny, you have them...good, have them at the water park office in one hour, no sooner." "You were having them held?" Franks said. "No, just watched in case you were willing so I could get them here." "And since you two aren't going anywhere keep two weekends from today clear for a road trip," Daniel said. "Where too?" Scott said. "The sexiest sweet sixteen party the world has ever seen. Up at the house in the mountains. Inviting everybody." "Cool and cooler," Frank said. "Do we need clothes?" Scott said. "For the trip maybe, up there definitely. My family will be there too. But not for the after party party." "Great, see you for lunch. If you need to use the phones go ahead, but just for local calls, bosses orders," Scott said and we all laughed. Mark and Mike Snitz could have taken their millions, shoved it into a savings account and lived off the interest. Instead they'd taken a chunk of it and built the water park and were raking it in. Worrying about phone bills was habit from their hand to mouth, or should I say cock to mouth hustling days before their bastard father and stepmother won the lottery. Daniel and I pulled out our cell phones and made the calls we had to while we waited. We looked at each other when there was a knock low down on the door and Daniel opened it to find our hosts with their arms full of hot dogs, fries and sodas. "Thanks guys, hope this is enough," Frank said as they piled a dozen or so hot dogs, five orders of fries and six jumbo sodas." "Is this just for us or my friends as well?" I said. The three teens looked at each other. "Marc, we are growing boys," they said in unison. I nodded and grabbed two hot dogs, fries and a diet coke seconds before the rest was gone. As we were finishing the phone rang, Scott picked the phone up and said to have someone bring them to us. Minutes later the door knocked and I let Ray and Gerry in then made the introductions. "You've turned into a handsome young man Frank," Gerry said holding Frank's hand a second too long. "I guess Marc didn't make it clear that Scott's my partner in life as well as work. And that he's a second degree black belt." "Nice to meet you too Scott," Gerry said as he shook Scott's hand. "Pardon my brother guys but we do admire the young male form and its sexuality. After all we did work that side of the street when we were growing up. Or didn't my old friend tell you about that?" "We wanted to maintain your reputations as educators, but guys I do have one of the movies on the laptop at home," I said. "There's probably a lot Marc and Daniel didn't tell us but I don't really care right now. What I am interested in are my parents and what they have in store for me and Scott and me?" Ray looked at me and I nodded. "First of all it's not your parents, just your father. He says he knows where your mother is because he sends her the alimony check every month. Junior says he has nothing to do with her and there is no reason for you to. "A bit too late he realizes he was a terrible father to you and Sam and that Sam's death could very well not have been an accident." Ray paused but Frank just nodded. "Through AA and therapy your dad's." "My father, not dad," Frank whispered. Ray nodded, "Through AA and therapy your father realizes his being a workaholic contributed to your mother's being an alcoholic and his becoming one himself. Nothing that you or your brother did contributed to it. Nothing you did, or could have ever done deserved the treatment that you got." "Look Frank, Scott, neither one of us is going to paint your father as an angel, not even in comparison to ours. But I truly believe he's changed and wants a second chance with you. And we made sure before we left New Jersey that he knew anything was on your terms. We're willing to tell him you weren't here or to make plane reservations for the two of you to return with us or anything in between," Gerry said. "Why now?" Scott said. Gerry spread his hands. "At a guess he finally decided it was time to make the move. He felt he was strong enough and maybe that enough time had passed for Frank's feelings to mellow." "I'm not moving back, we're not moving back. This is our home, our lives and friends are here," Frank said. "Don't reject this chance love, don't miss the opportunity I would have died for at one time," Scott said. "Your Mom and Dad loved you, would have accepted you gay, straight, whatever. Mine wouldn't have noticed if I was holding bi orgies in the living room. But you're right I can't pass this chance up," Frank said and wrapped his arms around Scott. "I know what you mean kid, our parents were druggies who only noticed us when they needed something from us. And that went from food shopping to laundry to sex to pushing drugs in the schools. Dad died in jail but we saw Mom a couple months after she got out and she was using again. Didn't even recognize or remember her own kids. You're not making a mistake." Ray said. I reached over and took Ray's hand. "I'm sorry, I never knew, never heard anything after I left for college." "What do we do from here?" Frank asked breaking the silence several minutes later. "He flies down here and you meet. Your terms," Ray said. Those terms resulted in a very nervous Francis Xavier Corrigan the third pacing around a meeting room at the Jorgenson Inn the following Saturday. "What if he doesn't show?" Frank muttered. "He is four-floors above us. Do you want my former head of security to go get him?" Daniel said. "Pass on that one," Scott said, "it's my day off and I want to get off on the right foot. Don't want to kill the guy because of what he did years ago." There was a light knock on the door and it opened before I could get there. The man who entered was Frank in thirty years. "Father." "Frank, you are looking very good. All grown up from what I hear and see." "Thanks, you're looking better than I remembered you." "What being sober for almost two years will do to a man." "And how are you doing it?" Scott asked. "One day at time, one day at a time. You're Scott, my son's lover, partner?" "Both those and more father, he's the main reason I'm happier than ever. We've made a life for ourselves here." "And one I have no desire to wreck. Look son, all I want is a chance to be in your life, both your lives if you'll let me. We'll talk on the phone, I'll come to visit and if you two want to come visit me I'll arrange and pay for that too. I'm happier, more at peace with myself since I was your age and started working in Gramp's mill shop." "Hear you walked out on her," Frank said. "Either that or get hit on the head with a full bottle, or worse going back to emptying them myself." Frank smiled for the first time and his father smiled back. "Lord I hardly remember that smile," the father said. "Didn't know how to till I got here. You want to take the tour?" "Love to." "I guess that's our cue to leave," I said and Daniel and I rose. "Call us if you need anything.